“The President Has the Power To Raise the Debt Ceiling on His Own; And if Congress won’t act, he should use it”: Law professor Eric Posner has this essay online at Slate.

“Monday at SCOTUS: revisiting the Class Action Fairness Act.” Alison Frankel’s “On the Case” from Thomson Reuters News & Insight has this report.

“FBI: 2nd escaped bank robber caught in Palos Hills.” The Chicago Tribune has a news update that begins, “The second inmate who made a daring escape last month from a high-rise federal jail in the South Loop was captured today in South Suburban Palos Hills, according to FBI officials.”

And The Associated Press has a report headlined “US Marshals: 2nd Chicago escapee caught in suburbs.”

“Man Arrested for Flipping Off Cop Gets Day in Court”: At Wired.com’s “Threat Level” blog, David Kravets has this post today.

“Legislators vow to shut legal loophole in Los Angeles rape case”: The Sacramento Bee has a blog post that begins, “Three California lawmakers vowed separately Friday to eliminate a legal disparity that allowed a man to escape a rape conviction in Los Angeles County this week because the victim was not married.”

“In D.C. Circuit, bin Laden Death Photos Take Spotlight”: Mike Scarcella has this post today at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times.”

“Influential Bush Administration Lawyer to Head Heritage Legal Shop”: Jess Bravin had this post yesterday at WSJ.com’s “Law Blog.”

“Ninth Circuit Judge Raymond C. Fisher to Assume Senior Status”: The Public Information Office of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued this news release today.

Update: At her “Trial Insider” blog, Pamela A. MacLean has a post titled “Judge Fisher Steps Aside in April, Opens Circuit Vacancy.”

“Appeals court faults EPA for soot regulation”: The Associated Press has this report on a ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit issued today.

Update: In other coverage, Bloomberg News reports that “EPA Gave States Too Much Leeway on Soot Rules, Court Says.”

And Lawrence Hurley of Greenwire reports that “Court orders EPA to try again on soot standards implementation.”

Access online today’s Order List of the U.S. Supreme Court: You can access the Order List at this link. The Court today granted review in three new cases.

At “SCOTUSblog,” Lyle Denniston has a post titled “Three cases granted.”

Update: In other news coverage, The Associated Press reports that “Court to review Native American adoption case.”

Jonathan Stempel and Terry Baynes of Reuters report that “Top court to hear American Indian adoption case.”

At “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times,” Tony Mauro has a post titled “Supreme Court Agrees to Hear ‘Baby Veronica’ Case.”

Lawrence Hurley of Greenwire reports that “Justices agree to hear Texas-Okla. water dispute.”

And The Texas Tribune reports that “Supreme Court Will Hear Texas-Oklahoma Water Case.”

“2nd Circuit reinstates lawsuit in middle-finger arrest”: David L. Hudson Jr. has this news analysis online at the First Amendment Center.

“Reverse-Mortgage Suit Against HUD Revived on Appeal”: Tom Schoenberg of Bloomberg News has this report on a ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit issued today.

“What will Cruz’s seat on Senate Judiciary Committee mean for vacancies in Texas district courts and the 5th Circuit?” John Council has this post at the “Tex Parte Blog” of Texas Lawyer.

“Orly Taitz’s Obama ‘birther’ claims rejected in court — again”: This article appears today in The Sacramento Bee.

“Sotomayor Set to Swear In Biden as Vice President”: Tony Mauro has this post at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times.”

“Father Or Sperm Donor? Kansas Case Says Distinction Comes From A Doctor.” This audio segment featuring Tim Hrenchir of The Topeka Capital-Journal appeared on yesterday evening’s broadcast of NPR’s “All Things Considered.”

“Federal appeals court blocks release of former death-row inmate”: Frank Green has this article today in The Richmond Times-Dispatch.

And The Washington Post reports today that “Justin Wolfe case moves back to federal appeals court.”

“18th-century Italian nobleman makes waves in death penalty case; The Court of Appeals heard a novel argument based on Maryland constitution backed up by online research”: This article appears today in The Baltimore Sun.

“Mass Shootings Do Little to Change State Gun Laws”: Joaquin Sapien of ProPublica has this report.

“Houses of Worship Seeking FEMA Grants Face Constitutional Barrier”: This article appears today in The New York Times.

“Lawyers, Saying DNA Cleared Inmate, Pursue Access to Data”: Ethan Bronner has this article today in The New York Times.

“Oasis or Mirage: The Supreme Court’s Thirst for Dictionaries in the Rehnquist and Roberts Eras.” James J. Brudney and Lawrence Baum have posted this article online at SSRN (via “Legal Theory Blog“).

“Is It Time to Scrap the Constitution?” Today’s edition of The New York Times contains these letters to the editor.